THE Democratic Republic of Congo has dispatched its inaugural copper consignment to the US through an arrangement with Mercuria Energy Group, said Bloomberg News. The shipment comes as Washington seeks to diminish Chinese control over critical mineral supplies, the newswire said. State-owned Gecamines announced Monday it would deliver 100,000 tons of copper derived from its 20% interest in CMOC Group’s Tenke Fungurume operation. Gecamines Trading is acquiring the metal from Tenke’s 2026 production and marketing it to American buyers under a strategic accord established with Washington in January. The central African ... (full story)